President Donald Trump has hailed his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “12 out of 10,” describing the engagement as a turning point in efforts to ease trade frictions and rebuild diplomatic trust between Washington and Beijing.
The high-level talks were held on October 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.
This is the first face-to-face encounter between both leaders since 2019.
Speaking aboard Air Force One while returning to the United States, Trump said discussions produced “amazing progress” on agriculture, energy cooperation, and curbing drug trafficking.
He disclosed that China had agreed to increase imports of American soybeans, sorghum, and other farm produce, and to explore extensive purchases of oil and natural gas from Alaska.
Trump also confirmed that U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods would be trimmed by 10 percent, lowering overall duties to 47 percent.
He added that levies linked to fentanyl-related items would be reduced after China promised stricter oversight on the export of precursor chemicals used in synthetic opioid production.
“It was an outstanding meeting — the best we’ve had so far,” Trump told reporters.
“Both countries made real progress toward balancing our trade relationship and addressing shared challenges.”
In a statement released after the summit, President Xi said China was “ready and willing to work with the United States” to foster stable, constructive ties.
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He urged both governments to avoid “a cycle of retaliation,” calling trade the “ballast stone” of their relationship.
Diplomatic analysts view the Busan meeting as a cautious but notable thaw after years of escalating trade disputes, technology restrictions, and geopolitical rivalry.
Chinese officials described the outcome as providing “new direction and momentum” for bilateral relations, while senior U.S. aides framed it as “a reset moment” in Trump’s approach to China.
Trump’s visit to South Korea rounded off his three-nation Asian tour, which included earlier stops in Japan and the Philippines.